Russell Crowe Tells Justin Bieber ‘Tag On Little Brother’ Amid Graffiti Row
Justin Bieber’s graffiti at a Gold Coast Australian hotel has drawn the ire of the city’s Mayor and its council, but actor Russell Crowe has voiced his support for the teen singer amid the row.
Taking to Twitter earlier on Thursday (November 28), the New Zealand-born actor who is based in Australia wrote,
“I like Beiber’s tagging. Tag on little brother. Tag the world.”
The 19-year-old singer spray-painted an external wall in the tennis court area of the Gold Coast’s QT Hotel in the early hours of Wednesday, after returning to the hotel from a sold-out Believe tour show in Brisbane on Tuesday night.
The Surfers Paradise hotel has since publicly said it gave Bieber permission beforehand to graffiti and intends to keep the cartoon character images and abstract shapes the “Baby” singer tagged.
However, the Canadian’s graffiti art has angered City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and the City Council. They have ordered the QT hotel to remove or paint over the images even though it is on private property, claiming it is in “prominent public view.”
I like Beibers tagging. Tag on little brother. Tag the world.
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) November 28, 2013
In addition to sending a “graffiti removal kit” to the hotel for the pop singer and his crew, Tate also sent an ultimatum to Justin through media outlets.
“I know he’s got beautiful eyes. I’ve got some goggles for him, and some gloves because I know he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty,” the Mayor told the Australian Associated Press, clearly unaware of Bieber’s funding and hands-on help in building a school for impoverished children in rural Guatemala, Central America.
Tate added, “Just come and clean it up and we’ll be happy with you. Alternatively come and sing at our mayoral Christmas carols on the 7th of December for an hour and I’ll let you go.”
The Mayor also tweeted Bieber on Thursday, writing,
@justinbieber Glad you had a great time on Australia’s #goldcoast. Hope to see you back soon to clean up your mess. Make me a #belieber
— Mayor Tom Tate (@MayorTomTate) November 28, 2013
Bieber has not yet responded to Crowe’s tweeted support. But it may serve to lessen the current hysteria, all the more ridiculous given that the QT hotel gave the star permission to graffiti.
(Photo: The QT hotel’s response to a commenter at their Facebook page in a thread on Bieber.)
The Surfer’s Paradise hotel has since begun a search for a local graffiti artist to paint on a wall within the complex. The hotel is donating the wall to do “something positive for the arts community.”
As regards the row with the Gold Coast City Council, the QT hotel says the council does not have jurisdiction to forcibly remove the graffiti as it is on private property.
In an email to Reuters, the hotel’s owners said of Bieber,
“The piece of artwork will be left for fans to enjoy. We believe it is a wonderful addition to the colorful Gold Coast arts scene.”
Bieber has now hit Sydney ahead of shows on Friday and Saturday. The singer will then perform in Melbourne and Adelaide with his definition-defying Believe tour wrapping in Perth December 8.
